Can you explain this pease as I though the color change was because you were in Ketosis?

IMHO, you are correct- at first. Then, after a period of months, I am supposed to be "Keto adapted", meaning that I am using ketones for energy needs. Ketones spilling into urine means they are not being used for energy and hence the fat is still staying stored. That is the Idiot's Guide to Keto Adaptation.

Thank you all so much for your responses. I was hesitant to post because obviously there are a few of these threads every day. But man oh man, I think I have covered it all in terms of testing, reading, listening, trying out, cutting back, adding in. The only thing I haven't done is gotten my butt off the couch. I mean I HAVE, but not to any earth shattering extent. "Chronic cardio" validates my lifetime of not wanting to do anything active. But I have stepped it up a thousand fold in the last two weeks, upped my carbs into the 40's or 50's, pushed calories from 2300-2500 to 1800, stopped weighing myself, slept 8-9 hours, killed the Atkins bars and diet cokes (maybe three of each in the last ten days), and voila! Haven't lost an ounce. Or an inch.

Thank you so much again for all of your responses. Keep em coming, please.

It sounds to me like your body has been majorly hormonally screwed up for a while if a doctor is giving you potent steroids to induce your period.

I would not focus on losing the last bit of weight at all. I would focus on restoring metabolic and hormonal health and physical fitness.

Ditch all the artificial chemical foods. They have things in them that mess up the hormones. Stay away from artificial flavors, "natural flavor" (which means MSG) and all forms of MSG which means hydrolized anything and other hidden forms. That shit messes you up. Stay away from soy including soy protein powder, isolate, lecithin and all the rest. Soy messes up your hormones. Just eat real, plain, basic foods as they come from nature. Go ahead and count calories or carbs if that floats your boat, but don't try to force your broken body to lose more weight. It's only going to raise your cortisol and stress you out. You need this time for healing.

Thank you and I loved your success story! I am 33% of the way to goal- and my goal is the very top of suggested. I am 209 looking for 165. So these are not the last few pounds. The hormonal screw up is very common. When you hit menopause, but still have some estrogen, the CW is that you need progesterone to induce a period at least every three months so that you don't develop endometrial cancer due to a huge buildup of tissue.

Bio identical hormones are very controversial on LC forums and I was very hesitant. Believe me, I am not taking them for hot flashes or anything else that is relatively minor. Agreed to go for every three months instead of every month. FWIW.

Omg I stay the hell away from soy. Men: look out. Men taking soy are asking for trouble in a big way.

I'm not a doctor, a medical professional, or anything remotely like that. These are just two thoughts that may help you.

1) Your body fat is controlled by hormones. Hormones are responsible for putting fatty acids into triglycerides in your fat cells, and hormones are responsible for getting them out for fuel. This is why calories in/calories out is not useful when discussing weight loss. The techniques used in Atkins, talked about by Taubes, and supported in much of the primal/paleo community all have to do with the same underlying concept: you are improving your hormone profile which leads to better body composition. Cutting carbs is effective for most people because of the strong relationship between carb intake and insulin. There are other things that do influence insulin sensitivity -- exercise for instance. The reason exercise is beneficial in helping with weight control is *not* because of burning calories; it's because exercise improves your hormone profile. Given the importance of hormones in fat regulation, it seems to me (again, remember my opening caveat!) that the hormones you have been taking are the overwhelming cause of your weight loss stall.

2) Hand-in-hand with that, I think that the idea of a hierarchy of import sometimes gets overlooked on the MDA forums. In my reading of your OP, the hormones you have taking so far outweigh any diet tweaking that I really think that's the place to look first. After that, I would agree with trying to cut the processed stuff first - Atkins bars, diet soda, etc. IMO, getting processed food out of your diet takes significant precedence over adjusting your already-small dairy intake, or worrying about your fat percentage. If your carb intake is already low, worrying too much about potatoes versus some other carb source seems not terribly important in comparison to the hormones and processed food.

Hope this helps! Hang in there!

I'm not a doctor either but you are 100% spot on. +1 to everything you just said.

Ummm: why are you trying to go on the rag? Sounds like you are trying to hit menopause, so quit messing with your body. If it's gonna happen, it will happen. Also: 1800 calories? Really? Try about 1200 or so. It's a shit-ton of food, and often 90-100 g protein. I eat fish, chicken, not so much fatty beef, lots of veggies and eggs. Also dark chocolate. Get moving and start lifting---walk an hour or so a day, lift 2-3 x week. And for pete's sake, ditch the processed crap.

Truthfully, here and elsewhere, and also in real life, I've found that when people "can't lose weight" they are conveniently forgetting stuff that they are eating or underestimating portions.

Thanks, guys. I guess I am just terrified of losing control again and chowing down for days (weeks). Also afraid of the weight gain when the glucagon and water comes back on. Also... Afraid of induction flu again.

Psychological maybe? That's a lot of fear and terror holding you back. Plus it sounds like you're dealing with other health issues. Eat for optimal health FIRST, clothes size second.

because my menstrual bleeding and cramping were out of control, omg, i can't leave the house, it looked like estrogen dominance. (btw, i am 47.) we checked for other stuff that might be causing the red niagra and everything came back clear. the doc suggested a mirena to "correct" the estrogen. anemic and desperate, i agreed. terrible decision, as i've outlined above. with no previous or baseline hormone reads, there was no true, data-driven proof that i was actually estrogen dominant. just maybe kinda probably.

let the hormones get flushed out of your system. it may take a few months. ditch the junk foods and get moving.

As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.

Carla, I might've missed where you mention it, but if not: can you add frequent long walks to your regimen, perhaps up some steepish hills? Or bike rides, swimming, etc? Not frenetic max-HR cardio, just the standard PB "slow movement". If it fits, maybe combine with IF as well so you do it on an empty stomach --> straight-up fat burning.

Agree on eliminating the soy, sugar alcohols and diet soda (I remember being loath to give up tempeh, but it messes me up). Re: 70/20/10, your macros look good (IMO), but the hormone therapy may trump all. 8-9 hrs is good; were you sleeping enough previously? De-stressing enough then & now? Elevated cortisol and inadequate rest can stall ya as well. As others are suggesting (and you seem to be doing), I'd be inclined to set aside the scale for a month or more, add slow movement, rest easy, and reserve judgment.

Thank you, everyone. Fuzzylogic: hormone therapy for menopausal women is so beyond your question that I'm going to just let you look it up. I was not sure whether to go the hormone replacement route and waited a long time before I did. Supposedly this will only be two or three rounds of this progesterone BS. I know, it makes no sense, but i have to assume that gaining 30 pounds last year was not only due to my becoming a vegetarian. So I'm trying to correct that, I guess.

I have always slept well and have taken Benzos for the last ten years to put me to sleep. Down to half of a Valium now as I finish tapering off of a ton of questionable meds. But yes, I am a good sleeper.

My job is probably just under air traffic controller as one of the most stressful on earth. People look at me and say "I could never, ever do your job". But my hours are somewhat flexible and that is a huge plus. I have had five kids and my weight has swung crazily up and down so no DOUBT I have screwed up my metabolism.

I have tried living on 1000 calories and it's the fast train to crazy land for me. I was on Medifast three years ago. Not willing to go "there" again.

I'm going to get some blood work this weekend and I'll see where my estrogen levels are.

Thank you all so much for your help. You would think I would be able to take my kick ass health insurance and get some actual medical advice, but no. I asked my doctor ten times if I was going to raise my risk for breast cancer with the progesterone and she said "shut up and take them! How are the kids?" No joke. I called my primary to try to get a few other blood tests on the scrip I have for this weekend and they said "ah, no". I mean, WTF?